Screw holder device



b- 6, 1934- w. J. SOFIELD 1,945,329

S CREW HOLDER DEVICE Filed Jan. 18, 1932 IN VENTOR. WILL/KIM J. \SOFIELD By W /W A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES emfsrrr OFFICE Application January 18,

4 Claims.

The invention relates to a device for use with screwdrivers and for holding wood and machine screws for eifecting at least a starting thereof in the appointed places.

An object of the invention is to provide a holder of the type described which is arranged to be mounted and used on a screwdriver shank without requiring an altered or special construction of said shank.

Another object is to provide a holder which is arranged to be mounted on or dismounted from a screwdriver shank without regard to the width of the screwdriver bit portion.

A further object is to provide for a preliminary holding of a screw by the holder independently of the screwdriver, and to thereafter provide for utilizing the screwdriver to effect a positive holding or" the screw.

The invention possesses other objects and fea- 20 tures of advantage, some of which, with the fore going, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of typical embodiments of the invention which are illustrated in the acompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a view showing a holder embodying my invention mounted on the shank of a screwdriver in position for the application of a screw thereto for holding.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing a screw mounted on the holder and held thereon independently of the screwdriver bit.

Figure 3 discloses the screwdriver bit in cooperative relation to the holder for positively holding the screw thereon.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section through the holder and screwdriver shank. V

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the screwdriver and holder, a holder element being shown in a dismounted position and for disposal within another holder element and about the screwdriver shank.

Figure 6 shows the holder elements in axially spaced relation and in enlarged perspective.

Figure 7 discloses another embodiment of the holder as applied to a screwdriver for mounting thereon.

Figure 8 discloses the holder of Figure 7 in fully operative engagement with a screw.

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse section at 9--9 in Figure 8.

As particularly disclosed, the holder 11 of Figures 1 to 6 is shown in association with a screwdriver 12 having a handle 13 and a shank 14 v terminating in a usual wedge-shaped bit 15. The 55 exposed portion of the screwdriver shank 14, it

1932. Serial No. 587,239

is noted, is preferably of uniform and symmetrical cross-section rearwardly of the bit; in the present instance the shank is circular in section, it being noted however, that said section may be a. regular polygon in outline.

The holder 11 comprises a pair of tubular body elements 16 and 1'? arranged for telescopic engagement to provide the holder, the element 1'7 arranged for sliding engagement within the element 16. In the present structure the element 16 is in the form of a section of tubing of rectangular section and carries an elongated spring member 18 extending longitudinally thereof and therefrom. As particularly shown, the spring member 18 is riveted to and against a wall 19 of the element 16 at the inner face thereof. The body element 17 also carries a spring member 20 fixed thereto, said member similar to the member 18 and mounted at the inner face of a wall 21 of the element.

The wall 22 of the member 1'? which is opposite the wail 21 is longitudinally slotted centrally thereof for the entire length of the element 17, the slot 23 thus provided preferably being approximately as wide as the inner face of said wall. In this manner, a complete telescopic engagement of the elements is permitted and the spring member of the element 16 is arranged to lie in the plane of the wall 22 of the element 17 when the elements are engaged to provide the holder. As particularly shown, the elements 16 and 17 are of like length, and a tit 24 extends outwardly from the inner end of the wa1l2l of the element 17 for engagement with the outer end of the element 16 to thereby limit the degree of insertion of the former element within the latter.

For assembling the holder on the screwdriver, the screwdriver bit is first inserted longitudinally through the element 16 until said element is positioned on the shank portion of the screwdriver. The holder element 1'? is then inserted Within the element 16 from the forward end thereof and in the manner indicated in Figure 5. Obviously the bore of the element 16 must be large enough to receive the bit 15 therethrough and the width of the slot 23 must be greater than the diameter of the shank 14; in this manner the holder is arranged for removable mounting on the shank of a screwdriver even though the width of the screwdriver bit considerably exceeds the diameter of the shank which carries it.

Referring now to the specific form and functions of the spring members 18 and 20, each of said members is seen to provide a rearwardly extending portion 25 and a forwardly extending portion 26. The portions 25, it is noted, are cooperative to resiliently engage the screwdriver The spring portions 26 are arranged for 00-- active use as screw holding jaws, and said portions are arranged for the simultaneous insertion of their extremities 27 in the head slot of a screw.

As particularly shown in Figures 2 and 3, a holder 11 is operatively engaged witha machine screw 28 having a head slot 29. The jaw extremities 27,

it is noted, themselves cooperate when in the screw slot 29 to provide a screw-driving bit, and the screw is arranged to be initially retained in mounted position on the jaws 26 through a resilient and forcible spreading of said jaws against the opposite sides of the screw slot. By reason of the present structure of the holder it is to be particularly noted that the same is arranged to be used for holding a screw in the indicated manner independently of its mounting on a screwdriver and that a screw so held may frequently be started in place by appropriately rotating the holderwithout use of the screwdriver.

It will, of course, be generally necessary to secure the screw more firmly in the holder than solely through using the resiliency of the jaws. Accordingly, the jaws are so formed that the screwdriver bit 15 may be wedgedly engaged between them (Figure 3) when a screw is mounted on the jaws, and thereby make the holding of the screw more positive. When a screwcarried by the holder has been started and the resistance to its driving prevents further use of the bit provided by the jaw extremities 27, said jaw extremities would be withdrawn from the screw slot, and the holder would then be moved rearwardly along the screwdriver shank 14 to free the screwdriver bit for direct application to the screw.

While the describedtwopieceholder structureis particularly designed for mounting on screwdrivers having bits appreciably wider than their shanks, certain features thereof may be advantageously incorporated in the structure of a one-piece holder for like use, and such a holder is disclosed in the embodiment of Figures '7, 8 and 9. As particularly illustrated, a holder 71 is provided for mounting on the shark '72 of a screwdriver 73. In the present structure the holder 71 comprises a body '74 shaped as a piece of rectangular tubing, and spring elements 75 carried by the body to provide centering jaws '76 and holding jaws 77, said jaws respectively corresponding to the jaws 25 and 26 of the previously described embodiment.

As brought out in Figure 7, the inoperative jaws 77 are spread apart by reason of the form thereof, and the screwdriver bit is disclosed as just engaging the centering jaws '76. In Figure 8 the engagement of the jaws 77 in the head slot'of a wood screw '78 is illustrated, the screwdriver bit having been inserted through the body bore and shankxand holding jaws extending forwardly from operative between the jaws for wedgedly urging their separation for fixing the screw thereto. If necessary, the screwdriver bit may be diagonally disposed in the body bore during its insertion therethrough. While the centering and holding jaws of the described embodiments of the holder operate independently and for different purposes. it is to be particularly noted that the provision of a centering jaw and a holding jaw as integral parts of a single spring element minimizes the number of parts required for a holder and simplifies the problem of assembling the holder structures.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of use of the present device will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a screw holder for mounting on the shank of a screwdriver, body elements telescopically engaged and cooperative to enclose a said screwdriver shank, a holding jaw extending forwardly from each said body element, said holding jaws mutually opposed and arranged to have their free extremities simultaneously engaged in the bitreceiving slot of a screw head as an expansible bit, and means whereby a movement of said body rearwardly on said shank is arranged to wedgedly engage the screwdriver bit with and between said jaw members for increasing the pressure engagement thereof in said slot.

2. In a screw holder of the character described and for mounting on the shank of a screwdriver, tubular body elements telescopically engaged and cooperative to enclose a said screwdriver shank, a said body element longitudinally slotted to receive said shank laterally thereof, and mutually opposed holding jaws extending forwardly of and from the different said body elements for simultaneous engagement in the bit-receiving slot of a screw head as an expansible bit for use in starting the screw.

3. In a screw holder of the character described and for mounting on the shank of a screwdriver, tubular body elements telescopically engaged and cooperative to enclose a said screwdriver shank, the inner said body element longitudinally slotted to receive said shank laterally thereof and arranged for insertion within the outer said body element while the latter is engaged about the screwdriver shank.

4. In a screw holder for mounting on the shank of a screwdriver, body elements telescopically en.- gaged and cooperative to enclose said screwdriver The different said body elements in mutual opposition and arranged to have their free extremities simultaneously engaged in the bit-receiving slot of ascrew head as an expansible bit.

WILLIAM J. SOFIELD. 

